– heritage pageant delegate

TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Monica Rose Joseph of St. Ignatius Village, Lethem, may not have won the recently held Miss Amerindian Heritage Pageant, but she has definitely made full use of the opportunity to grow in her confidence and form new friendships with the other amazing young women who participated.

It all started four years ago when Monica entered her first pageant in school, “Miss Aishalton” and secured the first runner-up position.

“I went to school there, but I grew up in St. Ignatius. After the first pageant, I knew that this was something I would always want to do, so I entered another ‘Miss Aishalton’ and got queen,” she recently told the Buzz.

An accounts clerk at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Monica also spends her time meeting with children from the community, and studying for her bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Development.

On the pageant side of things, though, she finds that participating builds her confidence and allows her to meet and interact with many interesting people. Getting to know the other delegates, for example, is one of the most interesting experiences.

“I wasn’t sure about leaving here to go and participate but I got to know the girls and they were super nice. We bonded. My roommate was the queen from Region Seven,” Monica, who won the Best Traditional Wear and the Best Evening Gown, shared, before adding, “Being honest, I was a little disappointed at not reaching in the top five even though I won these segments. I knew that I deserved a place in the top five but I was happy for the girls.”

Notwithstanding, Monica couldn’t be happier that the pageant provided further opportunities for her. “I want to be a model also, and I was really surprised that people came up to me and offered me the opportunity to be a model,” she said.

Hence, she is still able to be closer to her goals despite not getting the crown.

“I focus mostly on the journey and meeting the girls. Parting with them was hard because we got a really nice bond over the weeks, we were together.”

Monica’s platform was “Domestic violence against women in the Rupununi” and her dance was based on protecting the animals and the forest.

She chose domestic violence after listening to some of the stories of the young men in her community.
“I want to create safe spaces for victims and help them speak out and also help to educate young males on how to love and respect women and how domestic violence can affect their lives.”

Offering a word of advice to those who may not always win, she shared: “It’s not about the crown or the title; it’s about the journey. Win or not, you will still have the opportunity to speak out on your platform, help people through it and showcase your culture and talent.”